Mum finds blade in baby food packaging

A supermarket has issued a nationwide recall of its Baby Macro Organic Tomato Chicken with Pasta Puree after a mother found a metal blade inside the packaging.

Danni McLean was emptying a packet of puree she bought from Woolworths to feed her daughter, Willow, when she found a 2cm blade had cut through the bottom of the pouch in Adelaide, Australia.

FSANZ confirmation

She contacted the supermarket and posted a comment on Facebook which has since gone viral.

Government agency, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), has confirmed the incident is true.

In a statement on its website it said: ‘Woolworths has recalled Baby Macro Organic Tomato Chicken with Pasta Puree from all Woolworths, Safeway and Thomas Dux stores nationally due to the presence of foreign matter (metal).

‘Food products containing (metal) may cause injury if consumed. Consumers should not eat this product and should return it to their nearest Woolworths Supermarket for a full refund.’

The bi-national Government agency develops and administers the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, which lists requirements for foods such as additives, food safety, labelling and GM foods.

Enforcement and interpretation of the Code is the responsibility of state and territory departments and food agencies within Australia and New Zealand.

Facebook post goes viral

McLean wrote on Facebook: “Let me start by saying Woolworths is acting on this matter urgently however recalling a product off the shelves takes too long and I need to relieve myself of this burden in keeping it secret and make sure other mothers are aware ASAP.”

“Do not buy Macro baby food at the moment as the photos below show you what I found in Willows food yesterday! That sharp object covered in oily grease is a blade about 2cm long.

“As I was squeezing the food into a bowl yesterday I felt something in my hands and was all the food coming out from the other end along with a blade! #thisisnotorganic SHARE!”

Woolworths has issued a recall for the product and said McLean’s finding was ‘an isolated incident’.

“We would like to sincerely apologise to the customer for not keeping her informed about the investigation after she contacted us on Wednesday,” a spokeswoman said.

X-ray machine

“We fully appreciate her concern and have updated her today. We are fully investigating this incident. All Macro baby food in this type of packaging is x-rayed before leaving the manufacturer and after discussion with them we are confident in ruling that out as a source.

“Our initial investigation shows the product was not spoilt which indicated the blade entered the packaging not long before the customer found it.

“We will continue our investigation to get to the bottom of it but we think this is an isolated incident. As a precautionary measure we withdrew the product from shelves on immediately after being informed by the customer.”

The company said no other products were affected.

FSANZ said it was notified of the incident on June 13 and the packet in question is a plastic retort baby food sachet, 120g with a Best Before date of 07/AUG/2014

It is nationally available from all Woolworths, Safeway and Thomas Dux stores.

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